Newspaper vending machine



March 12, 1946. D. D. CAMERON v NEWSPAPER VEND-nie MACHINE Filed May 27. 1943 nvr/mwen Daniel D. Cameron Patented Mar. 12, 1946 UNITED STAT ES PAT EN 'I' 0F F ICE NEWSPAPER IV-ENDING MACHINEA DaniePD Cameron, SaniFr'an'cisco; Calif. Application-May/Z'Y 1943,.Serial-Nm 488,680Y

Claims;

Thefinventiorr relates to avmachine'for vending,

newspapers, magazines, andrtheylike, and partie-'- ularlyto vending machines of this typeA which are coin-controlled.

.An object of the invention is to providea vende` ing machine of the character described inwhich.` the mechanism for withdrawing and delivering the papers from the machine will be positive and certainin operation, will insure thev delivery of.

apaper. eachrtimethe machine is operated, and` yetwill operate in sucha smooth .andeasyman ner as to require/almost no effort for actuation, and'y entail practically no appreciable wear.

Another object of: the invention is to provide a machine of the character describedin which the means of controlling the release ofthe pa'- persone at aftirneand the means of delivering.

each of the `papers throughthe machinerfor discharge, isv provided forv by a single moving part;

A further object is toV provde'a-means of-the character described in whichthe papers will'he supportedin such manner that the delivery operation will bek considerably facilitated.. by, the: weight of the paper'to be delivered and the lack of friction between the papers and between-the paperzto be delivered and thesupport therefor;

A-still furthery object. of the invention is tol providev a very simple. but effective means; for

readily adjusting the machine to enable it to handle papers of different thicknesses, such as daily and Sunday editions, and varying daily editions.`

The invention possessesv other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following descrip-- tion of the preferred form of the invention which is. illustrated in the drawingl accompanyingl and forming part of the specification. It is to be' understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is avertical sectional View of a vending machiner made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to 'Figure 1, but with some of the parts in a different operative position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary viewsimilar to Figure y1, but showing the machiney adjusted for a' different thickness of newspaper;

Figure 4 is a' horizontal sectional view of a portion of the machine taken on the line 4-4 of- Figurel.

Figuref isa. detail'vertical sectional vView of Aingisaplate I4 which serves topartitionthe 'cas-W ing into,A twocompartm'ents- I6 and' Il andt'o` form a support'forthepapersIB'inthe machine.'l The.. compartment` I 'I which--is-below the' plate ,lili is designed.k tot containthe mechanism aforesaid; while: the.. compartment I6? whichlis above the plate and'fwhosebottomlisdened by plate I4"is arranged tofcontain-the papers.

Thewallor' cover I2 isfpreferablyfconnecte'd to the rear'wall -by means of` ahinge I9'fin order; topermitk thepapersftobe inserted inthe comp'artment from the top, andfsuohcover may be locked inzclosed position by suitable means'.A As!v wil1-bei`clear fromi Figure 1, ther` papers are arrangedto' be heldin the compartment `insidev by side relation in-substantially'vertical position andy parallel to theffrontfwalll, and withthe` folded edge ofith'egpaperslowermost-ahdl normally restingwuponrplate I4: Inl the front wall 'I is'y formed an openingizlwhich. is covered by a -glassor. other transparenty plate and thus exposes f to l' View from the exterior of the casing theheacllinesr1I on the papers;l

By means of a'ifollower plate 22Iwhi'ch is fconnected-to. the endllwalls 9 bylinlrs23 andai rangedtoenga'gethe rearmost paper, the papers incompartment I6` areurged `forwardly so that they may becausediinth'e-manner to lbe hereinafter explained', to` be-dischargedto a1delivery. opening 24 adjacent thefforward ed'gerofvplate` |42; Preferably'. by incliningf the.' plate 122,. the papers. are caused tofassum'e -a slightly tiltedpositiong. that'is'. with-the lowerfportion" extending` forwardly, and in'v such manner that the'forwetrd'` posi# tioning of l the` papers canl'ibe normally arrestedentirelyrby contact ofthelower portion of'lth'eforemost paper with someabutment adjacentthef forward'edge ofplate I4 but inwardly 'of the de; liveryordischarge opening24; This arranged ment for theradvance and retention of the papers itewill be noted avoidsthe need. of a fulllheight stopr or -retainingi'member for vthe Vforemost paper andthus eliminates the resultant frictionv-betweerfthe paper: and such-:membertwhen the paper iss! raised. orlowered as avpart of the releasing anda discharging-,operation' For facilitating the ade* vance of the papers over the plate I4, the latter is desirably declined toward the discharge edge.

As above set forth, means are provided to serve as a stop for the foremost paper so that until the machine is appropriately operated, neither such paper nor the papers to the rear may be moved into the discharge opening 24. As here shown such means is in the form of a yoke member 26 which is positioned at the forward edge of plate I4 and has provided at the side adjacent the papers a sloping shoulder 21 against which the foremost paper is arranged to abut. Preferably the top of the member 26 extends toward the discharge opening 24 and is provided with an apron 28 which denes a part of said opening' As an important part of my invention, a very simple but effective means is provided which is operative under appropriate conditions, for raising the foremost paper, that is the one in contact with the shoulder 21, so that the lower edge of the paper will clear the shoulder, and then move such edge portion over the member and release it whereby the paper by its own weight may descend out through the delivery opening. Arranged in the casing immediately forward of and parallel to the forward edge of plate I4 is a shaft 3I which is suitably mounted for rotation in bearings in the end walls of the easing, and has fixed thereon for rotation therewith a plurality of arms 32 which are arranged to move through notches 33 in the plate and member 26 and into the path of the lower edge portion of the paper which may be in contact with shoulder 21. rThe side of the arms designed to move under and engage the paper is preferably recessed in order to adequately engage and hold the paper on the arm, and as will be clear from the drawings, the free end of each arm is so related to the positioning of the papers, that since it moves between the foremost paper and the one immediately to the rear, only the foremost paper will be operatively engaged and elevated by the arms. By reference to the drawing it will be seen that when the recessed side of the arms is positioned as in Figure 1 under the paper and the shaft then rotated, the paper will be raised from the plate I4 and the bottom portionrcarried completely over the member 26 as shown in Figure 2, in which position the paper will have moved out of the arm recesses and caused by gravity to descend through the delivery opening.

Rotation of the shaft 3l is arranged to be effected by a crank 34 secured to an end of the shaft extending from the casing. Operation of the shaft is coin-controlled, and suitable mechanism therefor may be inserted in a compart- Y ment 36 and operatively connected to the shaft in a well known manner. In the present form of the invention, the machine is arranged to be operated to deliver a paper by moving the shaft in one direction and then moving it back in the reverse direction for positioning the arms for a subsequent delivery operation. A spring 38 fixed to an arm 38 on the shaft serves as a means of returning the shaft and crank to the starting position indicated in Figure 1, and in order to limit the oscillating movement of the shaft to the initial and final positions illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, pins 35 are xed to the casing and arranged to engage the arm 38. In view of such oscillating movement of the shaft, and the need for preventing the succeeding paper from moving forwardly and into engagement with member 26 while the arms are operating on the foremost paper and before thearms have returned'Y to starting position, such arms are preferably formed with arcuate portions 39 back of the recessed faces, which are arranged to engage said succeeding paper and keep it from advancing during the forward movement of the arms and the return movement until the starting position is attained. Preferably the free end of the arms is provided with needle points 40 which insure a positive grip with the paper as the arms elevate and move the paper over the member 26.

As a means of adapting the machine for handling papers of different thicknesses without the necessity of replacing parts or making relatively extensive adjustments, I provide for the adjustable positioning of the member 26. As will be seen from Figure 1, such member is carried at each end by a lever 4I one of which is provided at each end of the casing and fulcrumed thereto as at 42. The member has a pivotal connection 43 with the levers and is loosely held by means of one or more tongues 44 engaging in corresponding transverse slots in the base portion 46 of the paper delivery chute. By shifting the position of the lever the position of the member 26 will be accordingly changed with respect to the edge of the plate I4. Thus if the member is moved to a more forward position, a thicker paper may be accommodated as will be clear from Figure 3, while if the member is moved closer to the plate as in Figure 1, a relatively thin paper is accommodated. In each instance the end of the arms will engage the folded portion of the papers. Preferably three positions of adjustment of the member are provided for, such variation being afforded by engagement of a catch 45 on the lever with spaced notches 41 provided on a fixed plate 48. Catch 45 is as here shown in the for'm of a trigger 50, pivotally fixed to the lever and resiliently held in engagement with one of the notches 41 by means of a spring 5 I.

If desired, the arms may be used as the abutment means for retaining the advanced or foremost sheet in position. This may be readily done by utilizing the portion 39 of the arm as a shoulder as indicated in Figure 3. Such an arrangement would eliminate the need of the member 26 and would be advantageous where no adjustment for variation in thicknesses of paper is required.

I claim:

1. In a newspaper vending machine, a casing having a downwardly andforwardlyV extending support, a device to hold the papers in substantially vertical rearwardly tilted position with the bottom of the papers resting on the support, means at the front of said support providing a discharge chute for the paper from the support, rotatably mounted means in the casing interposed between said first means and the supportformed to provide a stop portion positioned to engage the foremost paper on the support and arrest the advance thereof, a third means having provided thereon a member arranged to engage the bottom of said paper and operative upon rotation'of said latter means to elevate said paper over said stop portion and convey same to said chute, and said rotatable means having provided thereon a portion positioned to move into engagement with the paper immediately to the rear of said fore.. most paper and arrest the forward movement thereof when said member moves the foremost paper over said detent portion.

2. In a newspaper vending machine, a casing, means in the casing to support the papers in upright position, means urging the advanceof the papers over said supporting means, means at the front of said supporting means defining a discharge opening .for papers moved from said support, stop means for the foremost paper, rotatably mounted oscillatable means between s-aid support and discharge opening comprising a shaft, an arm carried thereby and arranged for positioning exclusively under the foremost paper on said support and whereby upon rotation of said shaft in one direction said arm will elevate said paper and move it forwardly toward said discharge station, said arm having a recessed side arranged for engagement with the paper for the elevation thereof, and said arm being formed With an arcuate portion arranged to engage the paper to the rear of the foremost paper when the recessed side is in position elevating the foremost paper and engaging the rear side of the foremost paper and guiding the latter to said opening when said arcuate portion is in position arresting said rear paper, means to limit the amount of oscillation of said rotatable means in opposite directions, said arcuate portion being of such form and extent that the rear paper will be held against advance on said support during the elevating movement of the foremost paper and during and until the rotatable member is repositioned for elevating a paper on the support, and means for oscillating the rotatable means from the exterior of the casing.

3. In a newspaper vending machine, a casing provided with a paper insertion opening and a cover over the opening and at a side thereof having a paper delivery opening and an inclined support formed in the casing for holding the newspapers in upright position and for advance to said delivery opening, an abutment member interposed between the support and delivery opening and positioned to engage the foremost paper on the support and arrest the advance thereof to such opening, movable means mounted for positioning under said paper for engaging the bottom of the paper and elevating same above said abutment member, said abutment member being adjustably mounted to vary the advance positioning of said paper on the support and in relation to said mov- CII able means, and means within the casing for moving said abutment member to and holding same in any of a plurality of different positions of adjustment, said last mentioned means including a lever fulcrumed in the casing and one arm pivotally connected to and carrying said abutment member, and the other arm having its free end located adjacent said insertion opening.

4. In a newspaper vending machine, a casing having a paper delivery opening and a support inclined therein formed for holding the newspa-v pers in upright position and for advance to said opening, an abutment member mounted for adjustable positioning between the support and opening and having a shoulder for engagement with the foremost of said papers, and a rotatable member having its axis along said abutment member and mounted to engage the bottom of said foremost paper and raise same over said shoulder.

5. In a newspaper vending machine, a casing having a paper delivery opening and a support sloping downwardly and forwardly toward said opening, means cooperating with said support to hold the papers inupright position thereon and to urge the papers toward said opening, a yoke member at the forward end of said support comprising a shoulder portion projecting upwardly therefrom to engage and arrest advance of the foremost of said papers and having a portion defining a guide for the paper from said shoulder portion and to the delivery opening, a shaft extending through said yoke and mounted to oscillate in the casing, means on said shaft having a part movable through the plane of said shoulder portion to elevate the foremost paper above said shoulder and to said guide portion and having a part arranged to engage the next foremost paper when said first part is in elevated position, means -adjustably supporting said yoke member relative to said elevating part and selectively operatable from the interior of the casing exclusively, and means externally of the casing for actuating said shaft.

DANIEL D. CAMERON, 

